Luka Dončić to Miss Lakers Matchup Against Bucks Due to Ankle Injury

LOS ANGELES, March 20, 2025 — Lakers point guard Luka Dončić will sit out Thursday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks while managing a sprained right ankle, according to ESPN‘s Dave McMenamin.

This matchup concludes a demanding schedule for the Lakers, who are wrapping up a stretch of six games in eight days. The Lakers secured a 120-108 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, with Dončić contributing 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in 32 minutes, despite the ongoing ankle issue.

This strenuous schedule included a makeup game against the Thunder, originally postponed in January due to wildfires in Los Angeles. The team has had mixed results thus far, holding a 3-2 record over these five games. Dončić had to miss a previous game in this stretch, which resulted in a 131-126 loss to the Denver Nuggets last week, primarily due to his right ankle sprain and left calf management.

Currently, the Lakers are positioned third in the Western Conference, with just 14 games remaining in the regular season. In addition to Dončić, teammates LeBron James (left groin strain), Jarred Vanderbilt (left knee tendinopathy), and D’Angelo Russell (right ankle sprain) are also out for tonight’s contest. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent are expected to step up in the backcourt in Dončić’s absence.

When asked about the team’s objectives as the playoffs approach, Vanderbilt emphasized the importance of health. “Getting healthy, that would be No. 1. Getting rest with this stretch. And try to get some reps together,” Vanderbilt said. “The main thing is getting healthy so we can try to keep building our chemistry.”

Dončić, who has played 16 games since joining the Lakers in a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis last month, is averaging 26.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. His performance has been pivotal in maintaining the team’s championship ambitions in a competitive Western Conference that includes contenders like the 57-12 Oklahoma City Thunder and the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets.